Trustees at this week's ceremony said his contributions to Radio 4's Thought for the Day and the Reith lecture series proved he had "consistently delivered carefully chosen and beautifully articulated words which are the product of great learning and great wisdom and which appeal to those across religious faiths as well as atheists and agnostics".

Lord Sacks said: "Broadcasting forces us to share our faith with people of other faiths, or no faith at all. It has been one of the greatest privileges I have had over the years.

“I hope religion never loses its voice in the public domain, the voice of faith that we need to hear whether we agree with it or not; the voice that speaks to the better angels of our nature.”

Bishop of Bradford Rt Rev Nick Baines, who chairs the trust, said Lord Sacks's work was "remarkable".

He said: "He has not only been a Reith lecturer, a regular commentator on events, and an advocate for accessible religious broadcasting but, at a more personal level, he has helped keep the rumour of God alive on the World Service and on Radios 3 and 4.”